Quick learners

By EASportsToday.com
- Tweet
Updated: April 17, 2018

Bremen’s Lipscomb learns the course, shoots second-day 69 to win Oxford Invitational, Donoho cruises to team title with big overnight lead

Medalist Tyler Lipscomb jumps from a low area on the 15th hole to get a better look at the pin during Tuesday’s round of the Oxford Invitational. (Photos by B.J. Franklin)

To see a gallery of photos from the round visit www.bjfranklin.smugmug.com

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD – All Tyler Lipscomb and Nick Sawyer really needed was to see the whole golf course another time.

On only his second trip ever around Cider Ridge Golf Club, Bremen (Ga.) junior Lipscomb posted a final-round 3-under-par 69 Tuesday for a 36-hole total 1-under 143 to win medalist honors in the Oxford Invitational by five shots.

Bremen’s Tyler Lipscomb shot a 3-under-par 69 and claimed his second high school tournament win of the season.

On only his second trip ever around the back nine of the course, Cedar Bluff junior Nick Sawyer birdied three of his first four holes on the way to a final-round 72 that pulled him into second place.

Donoho rode the wave of a big overnight lead and won the team title by 28 shots over White Plains. It was the Falcons’ second tournament title on the course in three days, having claimed their first Calhoun County Tournament title in 11 years there Saturday.

Lipscomb, a two-time reigning Georgia state high school champion and University of Alabama golf commitment, shot 74 the first time ever seeing Cider Ridge Monday. He played in more comfortable conditions Tuesday and had four birdies and a bogey.

“Yesterday I came out blind, thankfully I had someone who knew the golf course pretty well, but today I really knew what clubs to hit off tees and what lines to take,” Lipscomb said. “I felt a little more comfortable over the ball, too, knowing where to hit.”

He was sharp right from the start, especially with his irons, making birdie at 1, 3 and 5. He got to 4-under on 13, then gave a shot back with a bogey at the par-3 17th when he got away above the hole off the tee and didn’t make the putt that ran by coming back. The birdies on 1 and 13 were both inside 12 inches.

“I came up here hearing the golf course was a great golf course – I’d never played it before — and I really liked it,” he said. “I need to get over here more.“

Sawyer was coming off a tournament victory at Fort Payne, so he was building some confidence from a season start that had been up and down. He hadn’t played the back nine at Cider Ridge until Monday and was three shots better on the side Tuesday than the day before. He made six birdies in the round, three on each side and all on his first 12 holes. His brother Mark finished seventh.

“It helped me a lot (playing Monday), definitely,” he said. “Yesterday I hit some bad club choices off the tee. I did better today.”

Donoho’s Jacob LeCroy, the overnight individual leader, shot a final-round 76 and finished third overall. Teammates Jack Svensen (T-5), Holden Abernathy (eighth) and county medalist Harrison Hughston (T-10) all finished in the top 10.

It’s the Falcons’ third win in the last seven days (Bob Jones, County, Oxford) and fourth in their last five tournaments. You’d think they’re on a roll, but coach Garrett Burgess knows it will take better than they’ve been producing to achieve the ultimate goal.

“We played really good in Athens, but the whole last two tournaments we’ve played in we haven’t done anything to prove we’re a possible state championship team,” he said. “I just don’t see 310, 315, 320 (winning). They have the potential, it’s just a matter of getting in their mind they have to bear down and focus. They can play so much better.”

White Plains was second in the team standings with a shuffled lineup from the day before. The Wildcats counted a pair of competitive career best 78s from freshmen Wesley Jenkins and Gage Miller as their low scores.

Donoho’s opening-round leader Jacob LeCroy shot a final-round 76 and finished third in the Oxford Invitational. The Falcons won the team title.

OXFORD INVITATIONAL

At Cider Ridge GC
Tuesday’s final results
Team scores: Donoho 302-314—616, White Plains I 328-316—644, Gadsden City 332-328—660, Fort Payne 337-324—661, Oak Mountain 340-321—661, White Plains II 345-342—687, Hokes Bluff 357-330—687, Bremen (Ga.) 354-344—698, Bob Jones 373-358—731, Pell City 388-370—758, Oxford 397-399—796.

Individual scores
Tyler Lipscomb, Bremen 74-69—143
Nick Sawyer, Cedar Bluff 76-72—148
Jacob LeCroy, Donoho 73-76—149

LEADERS (st) 443 454 435 36 443 445 435 36 72 (144)
Lipscomb (1) 342 444 435 33 443 345 445 36 69 (143)
Sawyer (12) 432 445 455 36 442 634 436 36 72 (148)
LeCroy (1) 443 474 454 39 353 445 436 37 76 (149)

Chris Brignet, Oak Mountain 76-74—150
Jack Svensen, Donoho 75-76—151
Harrison Davis, Fort Payne 75-76—151
Mark Sawyer, Cedar Bluff 78-75—153
Holden Abernathy, Donoho 77-80—157
Barnes Stacey, Gadsden City 83-75—158
Wesley Jenkins, White Plains 81-78—159
Harrison Hughston, Donoho 77-82—159
Gavin Smedley, Bremen 81-79—160
Gage Miller, White Plains 82-78—160
Jake Munroe, Oxford 82-79—161
Seth Perry, Gadsden City 79-83—162
Ken Goforth, Oak Mountain 79-83—162
Kenny Okins, White Plains 82-81—163
Josh Davis, White Plains 84-79—163
Tanner Wilder, Pell City 85-80—165
Andre Flores, Bob Jones 84-81—165
Dyan Evans, Fort Payne 84-81—165
Nathan Griffin, White Plains 83-82—165
Austin Burnham, Pell City 88-79—167
Josh Jones, Hokes Bluff 85-83—168
Davis Brown, Gadsden City 86-82—168
Cameron McCareeth, White Plains 91-79—170
P.J. Sotelo, White Plains 90-81—171
Cole Contris, Hokes Bluff 91-80—171
Blake Batchelor, Bob Jones 89-82—171
Buddy Ray, Donoho 85-86—171
Carter Cooper, Gadsden City 84-88—172
Jack Barker, Fort Payne 89-83—172
Luke Lyda, Oak Mountain 88-84—172
Tucker Marsh, Hokes Bluff 90-83—173
Sebastian Burt, Fort Payne 92-84—176
Mathew Jones, Hokes Bluff 91-86—177
Austin Roberts, White Plains 90-87—177
Jonathan Zaleski, Oak Mountain 97-82—179
Tim Niles, Bob Jones 93-86—179
Kason Moore, Hokes Bluff 96-84—180
Brady Moses, Fort Payne 89-91—180
Stacey Dawson, Gadsden City 91-91—182
Malakhi Gilbert, White Plains 97-95—192
Gage Driskell, Bremen 96-97—193
Houston Russell, Pell City 97-97—194
Wyatt Underwood, Bremen 98-97—195
Jason Howard, Donoho 97-99—196
Dru Allen, Breman 101-99—200
Dylan Messer, Bremen 106-99—205
Logan Lewis, Oxford 95-111—206
Nic Boyd, Oxford 112-96—208
Landen Souder, Oxford 109-101—210
Jacob Colson, Bob Jones 107-109—216
Ridge Hayden, Oxford 108-115—224
Hunter Wert, Oxford 117-113—230
Andrew Burnham, Pell City 118-114—232
Jarrett Bowes, Pell City 122-121—243
Andrew Miller, White Plains 81-WD
Pierce Brunner, Oak Mountain WD-82
Jack Wert, Oxford WD-99